tobaccovilleweather.com
Satellite Weather FAX System
This page is a work in progress. Click on a thumbnail for a larger image.
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Background
The
Weather FAX system receives APT (Automatic Picture Transmission) data
from NOAA POES (Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite[s])
as they pass within range of the receiving station. The whole surface
of the Earth is scanned by POES spacecraft sensors several times a day.
Currently there are three POES spacecraft transmitting APT. NOAA 15 is the AM spacecraft. NOAA 19 and NOAA 18 are the PM spacecrafts. NOAA 18 has suspected gyro system problerms and may fail in a few months. NOAA 18 is not displayed here because NOAA 18 and NOAA 19 orbits overlap causing reception problems. More information about POES can be found here.
Image quality varies depending on which satellite is overhead and the satellite ground track. The downlink antenna has been upgraded from the National RF WX-137Q QFH omni directional antenna to a stacked pair of Woodhouse 6X6 12 element circularly polarized beams on a Yaesu G-5500 AZ/EL rotator. The Woodhouse beams give much better low elevation angle reception. The WX-137Q is still installed and is the backup antenna. |
Hamtronics R139 Weather FAX Receiver
Hamtronics Web site |
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Stacked Woodhouse 6X6 Antennas on Yaesu G-5500 AZ-EL Rotator Click a thumbnail for larger image National RF Web site Woodhouse Web site Yaesu Web site |
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Other APT Antennas
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